Garment with a storage hem band

ABSTRACT

The present invention is directed to a garment with a storage hem band. The garment has a front panel, a back panel and a hem band connected to a lower edge of the front panel and a lower edge of the back panel. The hem band has an elastic inner panel facing a wearer&#39;s body, an elastic outer panel, a closed bottom edge, a top edge and a body extending around a torso opening of the garment. The inner and outer panels of the hem band are connected together at least at two connection points on the top edge. A storage pocket is formed between the elastic inner panel and the elastic outer panel of the hem band, the storage pocket having an entrance opening extending along at least a portion of the hem band.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This application relates to the field of apparel incorporating storage features such as pockets. More specifically, this application relates to garments with a hem band having an integrated storage pocket.

BACKGROUND

Many garments are constructed with storage features, receptacles or pockets in order for wearers of the garment to carry various items with them. In many garments, these storage features, receptacles or pockets are constructed over an outside or inside surface of the garment, or within a panel of the garment, with an opening that incorporates a fastening mechanism such as a zipper. While there are various types of known storage features for garments, there are some limitations and disadvantages associated therewith.

For example, when wearers of the garment undertake physical activity, such as running, cycling, a fitness class, yoga or brisk walking, items stored within the storage feature, receptacle or pocket move or bounce within the storage feature, receptacle or pocket, creating discomfort for the wearer of the garment.

Thus, there remains a need for garments incorporating storage spaces, pockets or receptacles such that during movement, items stored within these spaces, pockets or receptacles stay relatively stationary against the body of the wearer.

SUMMARY

In one aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a garment with a storage hem band comprising: a front panel configured to cover a front part of a wearer's torso; a back panel configured to cover a back part of the wearer's torso; a hem band connected to a lower edge of the front panel and a lower edge of the back panel, the hem band comprising: an elastic inner panel facing a wearer's body, an elastic outer panel, a closed bottom edge, a top edge and a body extending around a torso opening of the garment; and a storage pocket formed between the elastic inner panel and the elastic outer panel of the hem band, the storage pocket having an entrance opening extending along at least a portion of the hem band.

In various embodiments, the elastic inner panel and the elastic outer panel of the hem band are connected together at least at two connection points on the top edge.

In various embodiments, the entrance opening is formed at the top edge of the hem band, on the elastic outer panel of the hem band or on the elastic inner panel of the hem band.

In various embodiment, the garment further comprises a fastener to close and open the entrance opening of the storage pocket.

In various embodiments, the storage pocket is divided into two or more pockets, the two or more pockets being adjacent one to the other along a length of the hem band. For example, at least one of the two or more pockets may be a drop-in pocket. The garment may further comprise a pocket flap attached to the elastic inner panel along the top edge of the hem band, the pocket flap covering the entrance opening to at least one of the two or more pockets.

In various embodiments, the garment further comprises a pocket gripping surface formed on at least a portion of an inside surface of the storage pocket to reduce movement or bouncing of an item inserted into the storage pocket.

In various embodiments, the garment further comprises a gripping surface formed on the elastic inner panel of the hem band on a surface facing the wearer.

In various embodiments, the garment further comprises a first inner pocket panel connected to an inner surface of the elastic inner panel of the hem band, wherein side edges and a bottom edge of the first inner pocket panel form a first inner pocket within the storage pocket.

In various embodiments, the garment further comprises a second inner pocket panel connected to an inner surface of the elastic outer panel of the hem band, wherein all edge sides of the second inner pocket panel form a second inner pocket between an inner surface of the elastic outer panel and the second inner pocket panel, an entrance opening of the second inner pocket being formed at an outer surface of the elastic outer panel of the hem band. The garment may also comprise a fastener to close and open the entrance opening of the inner pocket.

In various embodiments, the hem band is removably connected to the lower edge of the front panel and the lower edge of the back panel.

In various embodiments, the garment further comprises an adjusting means to adjust a size and/or length of the body of the hem band and size of the torso opening of the garment.

In various embodiments, the front panel and the back panel of the garment are removable from the hem band and packable in the storage pocket.

In various embodiments, the front panel of the garment comprises a front panel outer water-resistant liner and a front panel inner liner, the front panel inner liner comprising a mesh engineered to match a body heat map. For example, the front panel inner liner may be a knitted fabric.

In various embodiments, the back panel of the garment comprises a back panel outer liner and a back panel inner liner, the back panel inner liner comprising a mesh engineered to match a body heat map. The back panel outer liner may extend over at least a portion of the back panel inner liner. The garment may also comprise a vent opening between the back panel inner liner and the back panel outer liner.

In various embodiments, the garment further comprises a pair of sleeves, each of the pair of sleeves comprising a sleeve outer water-resistant liner and a sleeve inner liner, the sleeve inner liner comprising an engineered mesh. The sleeve outer liner of each of the pair of sleeves may extend over at least a portion of the sleeve inner liner of each of the pair of sleeves. Each of the pair of sleeves may also be removably connected to the garment.

In various embodiments, the garment is a jacket, a pullover, a vest or a top.

Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the following description of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description in which reference is made to the appended drawings.

FIG. 1 is a front view of a jacket incorporating a hem band according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a back view of a jacket incorporating a hem band according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a side view of a jacket incorporating a hem band according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a front view of a hem band of a garment according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a back view of a hem band of a garment according to an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the context of the present disclosure, various terms are used in accordance with what is understood to be the ordinary meaning of those terms.

Disclosed embodiments include a garment with a storage hem band. A hem band is an item for a garment provided either partially or completely around an opening in the garment and arranged to fit snugly around or along a portion of the body of the wearer, such as the waist or wrists. For example, a jacket or pullover has a hem band around a torso opening of the garment, to fit around the waist of the wearer. The storage hem band of the present disclosure includes a storage pocket positioned around a torso of the wearer such that movement of items placed inside the storage pocket is minimized when the wearer of the garment undergoes activity such as running, biking, walking, yoga or an exercise class. In various embodiments, the garment may be a jacket, a pullover, a vest or a top.

Referring to FIG. 1 and according to an embodiment of the invention, a garment 10 with a storage hem band 12 is shown. The garment 10 comprises a front panel 14 configured to cover a front part of a wearer's torso and as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the garment 10 comprises a back panel 16 configured to cover a back part of the wearer's torso. The hem band 12 is connected to a lower edge 15 of the front panel 14 and to a lower edge 17 of the back panel 16.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the hem band 12 comprises an elastic inner panel 22 facing the wearer's body, an elastic outer panel 24, a closed bottom edge 26, a top edge 28 and a body 30 extending around a torso opening of the garment. At least a portion of the elastic inner panel 22 may be connected to the lower edge 15 of the front panel 14 and the lower edge 17 of the back panel 16, and/or at least a portion of the elastic outer panel 24 may be connected to the lower edge 15 of the front panel 14 and the lower edge 17 of the back panel 16.

The elastic inner panel 22 and the elastic outer panel 24 of the hem band 12 may be connected together at least at two connection points on the top edge 28. For example, in the embodiments shown in the Figures, the elastic inner panel 22 and the elastic outer panel 24 are connected together at least where the stitching for zipper 32 crosses the top edge 28, on each side of the zipper and forming the two connection points.

A storage pocket is formed between the elastic inner panel 22 and the elastic outer panel 24 of the hem band 12. When in use, the storage pocket is secure and snug against the torso of the wearer due to the elastic material of the elastic inner panel 22 and the elastic outer panel 24, and does fall open when the garment is being worn. The elastic material of the elastic inner panel 22 and the elastic outer panel 24 is any suitable elastic material as would be known to a person of ordinary skill in the art. For example, the elastic material can be any elastane or spandex blend material. The entrance opening of the storage pocket may be formed at the top edge 28 of the hem band 12, on the elastic inner panel 22 of the hem band 12, or on the elastic outer panel 24 of the hem band 12. In various embodiments, the entrance opening of the storage pocket may comprise a fastener to close and open the entrance opening. For example, the fastener may be a zipper, Velcro or snaps. In various embodiments, the entrance opening can be closed by a cover flap.

In various embodiments, the storage pocket may be divided into two or more pockets, the two or more pockets being adjacent one to the other along a length of the hem band 12. For example, the two or more pockets may be created by stitching from a bottom edge 26 of the hem band 12 to the top edge 28 of the hem band 12 to form one or more seams 33 as shown in FIG. 4. In various embodiments, one or all of the two or more pockets may be a drop-in pocket. A pocket flap may be attached to the elastic inner panel 22 along the top edge 28 of the hem band 12, the pocket flap covering the entrance opening to at least one of the two or more pockets.

In various embodiments, the garment 10 may further include a gripping surface to engage the torso of the wearer in order to further decrease movement of the hem band when the wearer of the garment undertakes activity and/or items are being stored in the storage pocket. The gripping surface may be formed on at least a portion of an inner surface of the elastic inner panel 22, the inner surface of the elastic inner panel 22 being a surface of the elastic inner panel 22 facing the wearer. The portion may cover at least 10% of the inner surface, about 20% of the inner surface, about 30% of the inner surface, about 40% of the inner surface, about 50% of the inner surface, about 60% of the inner surface, about 70% of the inner surface, about 80% of the inner surface, about 90% of the inner surface, or any portion therebetween. In other embodiments, the gripping surface covers the entire inner surface of the elastic inner panel 22.

In other embodiments, the garment 10 comprises a pocket gripping surface formed on at least a portion of an inside surface of the storage pocket in order to reduce the bouncing of item(s) inserted into the storage pocket. “Inside surface” refers to a surface of either the elastic inner panel 22 or the elastic outer panel 24 or both inside the storage pocket. The portion may cover at least 10% of the inside surface, about 20% of the inside surface, about 30% of the inside surface, about 40% of the inside surface, about 50% of the inside surface, about 60% of the inside surface, about 70% of the inside surface, about 80% of the inside surface, about 90% of the inside surface, or any portion therebetween. In other embodiments, the pocket gripping surface covers the entire inside surface of the storage pocket.

The material included as part of the gripping surface or the pocket gripping surface may include, for example, silicone, and any other material as would be known to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

In various embodiments, the hem band 12 may include pockets that are additional to the storage pocket. For example, the garment may comprise one or more first inner pocket panels connected to an inside surface of the elastic inner panel 22 of the hem band 12. Both side edges and a bottom edge of the first inner pocket panel may be connected to an inside surface of the elastic inner panel 22 of the hem band 12, thereby forming a first inner pocket within the storage pocket. Access to this first inner pocket may be from an opening in the elastic inner panel 22 or from an opening along a top edge of the first inner pocket panel inside the storage pocket.

Alternatively or in addition, the garment may comprise one or more second inner pocket panels connected to an inside surface of the elastic outer panel 24 of the hem band 12, wherein all edge sides of the second inner pocket panel form a second inner pocket between the inside surface of the elastic outer panel 24 and the second inner pocket panel. In various embodiments, an entrance opening 34 of the inner pocket panel may be formed at an outer surface of the elastic outer panel 24 of the hem band 12. In various embodiments, the entrance opening 34 may comprise a fastener, such as a zipper, to close and open the entrance opening 34 of the inner pocket.

In various embodiments, the lower edge 15 of the front panel 14 and the lower edge 17 of the back panel 16 may be removably connected to the hem band 12. For example, the hem band 12 may be connected to the front panel 14 and the back panel 16 by a zipper, snaps, buttons or any other suitable fastening means as would be known to a person of ordinary skill in the art. In various embodiments, following removal of the front panel 14 and the back panel 16, these panels can then be stored or packed into the storage pocket.

The hem band 12 may also comprise adjusting means for adjusting a size and/or length of the body 30 of the hem band 12 and size of the torso opening of the garment 10. For example, the adjustment means may comprise a draw string, hook and eye, buttons or any other means that would be known to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

In various embodiments, the front panel 14 of the garment may comprise a front panel outer water-resistant liner 36 and a front panel inner liner 38. The front panel inner liner 38 may comprise a mesh engineered to match a front body heat map such that, for example, a less dense mesh is provided over areas where the body perspires more profusely during activity. In various embodiments, the front panel inner liner 38 may be a knitted fabric. A vent opening 39 may be formed between the front panel inner 38 and the front panel outer liner 36.

Likewise, the back panel 16 may comprise a back panel outer water-resistant liner 40 and a back panel inner liner 42. The back panel inner liner 42 may comprise a mesh engineered to match a back body heat map. The back panel outer liner 40 may extend over at least a portion of the back panel inner liner 42 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. A vent opening 43 may be formed between the back panel inner liner 42 and the back panel outer liner 40.

In various embodiments, the garment 10 may comprise a pair of sleeves 44. Each of the pair of sleeves 44 may comprise a sleeve outer water-resistant liner 46 and a sleeve inner liner 48. The sleeve inner liner 48 may comprise an engineered mesh. The sleeve outer water-resistant liner 46 may extent over at least a portion of the sleeve inner liner 48 of each of the pair of sleeves 44, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. In various embodiments, each of the pair of sleeves 44 may be removeably connected to the garment 10. For example, the sleeves 44 may be connected by a zipper or any other suitable fastener for connecting each of the pair of sleeves 44 to the garment 10.

Although various embodiments of the invention are disclosed herein, many adaptations and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention in accordance with the common general knowledge of those skilled in this art. Such modifications include the substitution of known equivalents for any aspect of the invention in order to achieve the same result in substantially the same way. Numeric ranges are inclusive of the numbers defining the range. The word “comprising” is used herein as an open-ended term, substantially equivalent to the phrase “including, but not limited to”, and the word “comprises” has a corresponding meaning. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to “a thing” includes more than one such thing. Citation of references herein is not an admission that such references are prior art to the present invention. Any priority document(s) and all publications, including but not limited to patents and patent applications, cited in this specification are incorporated herein by reference as if each individual publication were specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference herein and as though fully set forth herein. The invention includes all embodiments and variations substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to the examples and drawings. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A garment with a storage hem band comprising: a front panel configured to cover a front part of a wearer's torso; a back panel configured to cover a back part of the wearer's torso; a hem band connected to a lower edge of the front panel and a lower edge of the back panel, the hem band comprising: an elastic inner panel facing a wearer's body, an elastic outer panel, a closed bottom edge, a top edge and a body extending around a torso opening of the garment; and a storage pocket formed between the elastic inner panel and the elastic outer panel of the hem band, the storage pocket having an entrance opening extending along at least a portion of the hem band.
 2. The garment of claim 1, wherein the elastic inner panel and the elastic outer panel of the hem band are connected together at least at two connection points on the top edge.
 3. The garment of claim 1, wherein the entrance opening is formed at the top edge of the hem band, on the elastic outer panel of the hem band, or on the elastic inner panel of the hem band.
 4. The garment of claim 3, further comprising a fastener to close and open the entrance opening of the storage pocket.
 5. The garment of claim 1, wherein the storage pocket is divided into two or more pockets, the two or more pockets being adjacent one to the other along a length of the hem band.
 6. The garment of claim 5, further comprising a pocket flap attached to the elastic inner panel along the top edge of the hem band, the pocket flap covering the entrance opening to at least one of the two or more pockets.
 7. The garment of claim 1, further comprising a pocket gripping surface formed on at least a portion of an inside surface of the storage pocket to reduce movement or bouncing of an item inserted into the storage pocket.
 8. The garment of claim 1, further comprising a gripping surface formed on the elastic inner panel of the hem band on a surface facing the wearer.
 9. The garment of claim 1, further comprising a first inner pocket panel connected to an inner surface of the elastic inner panel of the hem band, wherein side edges and a bottom edge of the first inner pocket panel form a first inner pocket within the storage pocket.
 10. The garment of claim 1, further comprising a second inner pocket panel connected to an inner surface of the elastic outer panel of the hem band, wherein all edge sides of the second inner pocket panel form a second inner pocket between an inner surface of the elastic outer panel and the second inner pocket panel, an entrance opening of the second inner pocket being formed at an outer surface of the elastic outer panel of the hem band.
 11. The garment of claim 10, further comprising a fastener to close and open the entrance opening of the inner pocket.
 12. The garment of claim 1, wherein the hem band is removably connected to the lower edge of the front panel and the lower edge of the back panel.
 13. The garment of claim 1, wherein the front panel and the back panel of the garment are removable from the hem band and packable in the storage pocket.
 14. The garment of claim 1, wherein the front panel of the garment comprises a front panel outer water-resistant liner and a front panel inner liner, the front panel inner liner comprising a mesh engineered to match a body heat map.
 15. The garment of claim 1, wherein the back panel of the garment comprises a back panel outer liner and a back panel inner liner, the back panel inner liner comprising a mesh engineered to match a body heat map.
 16. The garment of claim 15, wherein the back panel outer liner extends over at least a portion of the back panel inner liner.
 17. The garment of claim 1, further comprising a pair of sleeves, each of the pair of sleeves comprising a sleeve outer water-resistant liner and a sleeve inner liner, the sleeve inner liner comprising an engineered mesh.
 18. The garment of claim 17, wherein the sleeve outer liner of each of the pair of sleeves extends over at least a portion of the sleeve inner liner of each of the pair of sleeves.
 19. The garment of claim 17, wherein each of the pair of sleeves is removably connected to the garment.
 20. The garment of claim 1, wherein the garment is a jacket, a pullover, a vest or a top. 